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PUTNAM — A small fire that damaged the first-floor porch of a Wilkinson Street multi-family residence April 13 has been ruled accidental by the Putnam Fire Marshal’s Office.
Putnam Emergency Dispatch received a 911 call from a neighbor who reported a porch fire at 28 Wilkinson St. The Putnam Fire Department kept the fire from spreading to the rest of the home with minor damage to the first-floor porch.
Firefighters found a pile of rags that had caught on fire next to the front door. The Putnam Fire Marshal’s Office found that the homeowner had been staining the floors inside the house the day before the fire. Fire officials said the wood floor finish used can self-heat to the temperature of autoignition.
The Fire Marshal’s office said to prevent self-heating, it is important to soak rags in water or dry them in a well-ventilated area after use with certain solvents, paints, or oils before storing or disposing of them. Please read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for safe use and methods of safe disposal.
If anyone has any further information concerning this incident, they’re asked to contact Putnam Deputy Fire Marshal Ryan Walsh at (860) 963-6800, X112.
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